On September 3, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense stated that a "targeted disinformation campaign" was being deployed to discredit military intelligence and its combat units, UNN writes.
What the DIU says
The DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informs that a targeted disinformation campaign is being deployed with the aim of discrediting Military Intelligence and the combat units of the DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
"To implement the campaign, its organizers plan to involve media outlets, bloggers, and Telegram channels with dubious reputations, including for financial compensation. We urge you to trust only verified official sources of information," the DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated on social media.
In an appeal to media outlets, journalists, and bloggers, military intelligence urged them "to immediately contact law enforcement agencies" "if you are contacted with offers to publish and disseminate unverified, dubious data."
"Ukrainian Military Intelligence and the units of the DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine continue to defend the freedom and dignity of our state in the war against the occupiers, and to carry out all assigned combat and special tasks to repel Russian aggression. Glory to Ukraine!" the DIU statement said.
This is the agency's first such statement.
What happened before
On September 2, the Security Service of Ukraine reported that, together with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, it had prevented an FSB terrorist attack against a Russian opposition figure. According to UNN sources, this concerns Stepan Kaplunov, deputy commander for combat operations of the Russian Volunteer Corps, whose disappearance was reported by the RVC on September 1.
The SBU reported operational and investigative actions in the case following the thwarted terrorist attack.
Later, the SBU said that it had encountered an attack during a search as part of a special operation, and that weapons had been used. It also said there were wounded. There were also detainees who belonged to one of the Defense Forces units, the SBU reported.
Following the shooting incident in Kyiv involving representatives of the SBU and one of the Defense Forces units, a pretrial investigation was launched into threats against and an attempt on the lives of law enforcement officers in connection with the attack on the SBU group, the Prosecutor General's Office stated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the incident, stating that "here, in Ukraine, one may shoot only at Russian occupiers to defend Ukraine." He called the situation between individual SBU and DIU units "shameful" and stressed that "there must be accountability, including personnel decisions"; the Prosecutor General and the State Bureau of Investigation would establish all the details of the incident.
On September 3, the SBU issued a new statement, noting that contacts had been uncovered between the deputy commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps of the International Legion of the DIU of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and Russian special services. The person in question was to prepare an assassination attempt against one of the leaders of the Russian opposition movement, who was due to arrive in Ukraine at that time, the SBU stated.